Luring Teen to Prostitution During Chatting Punishable
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Beginning next year, the act of soliciting teenagers into having sex for money at online chatting sites will be subject to punishment, even if no actual prostitution takes place, the government said Thursday.
The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs announced a revised anti-juvenile-prostitution law that will take effect on Jan 1.
Under the new law, those luring teenagers into having sex in exchange for money will face up to one year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million won ($8,000).
``This is to crack down on mushrooming prostitution victimizing teens though Internet chat rooms,'' a ministry official said.
The ministry will develop a software program enabling teenagers to easily report to authorities during chatting, with a pilot run scheduled for November.
``The software will allow us to secure evidence more easily, as a click of the mouse will send the chatting content and personal information of users to the police cyber center,'' the official said.